Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Unicorn’

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named ‘Unicorn’ characterized by its small sized blooms with white ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date August 26-31; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Unicorn’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural season flower date around August 26-31 ; blooming for a period of 5 weeks. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant ‘Unicorn’ is a seedling resulting from the open pollination among groups of chrysanthemum cultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout Holland in August 2000. The plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Rijsenhout Holland. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the petiole and foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Chrysanthemum morifolium. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, Holland under natural day length and temperature and planted week 22 in 2000 and 2001. The natural blooming date of this crop was August 26-31 (week 35). The average height of the plants was 28 cms. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces small sized blooms with white ray florets and a yellow center blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Unicorn’ is ‘Marilyn’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,910). When ‘Marilyn’ and ‘Unicorn’ are being compared the following differences are noticed: The differences of ‘Marilyn’ and ‘Unicorn’ are (1) Flower color. The flowers of ‘Unicorn’ are more pure white. (2) Natural flowering date. ‘Unicorn’ flowers earlier.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Unicorn’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 1995.

Table 1. Botanical Description of Cultivar ‘Unicorn’

Bud:

Size.—Medium ;cross-section 1.0 cm, height 1.0 cm.

Outside color.—Yellow 10 D.

Involucral bracts.—2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm.

Involucral bracts among disc-florets.—Not present.

Involucral bracts color. Green 138 B.

Bloom:

Type.—Decorative.

Height.—Medium. 1.5-2.0 cm.

Size.—Small.

Fully expanded.—3.5-4.0 cm.

Number of blooms per branch.—Approx. 7-9 blooms per branch.

Performance on the plant.—5 weeks.

Seeds.—Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mm in length.

Fragrance.—Typical chrysanthemum, slightly.

Color:

Center of the flower.—Immature yellow 8 B Mature white 155 D, yellow 8 B at the tips.

Color of upper surface of the ray-florets.—White 155 D.

Color of the lower surface of the ray-florets.—White 155 D.

Tonality from distance.—A garden mum with white flowers and a yellow disc.

Color of the upper surface of the ray-florets after aging of the plant.—White 155 D.

Ray florets:

Texture.—Upper and under side smooth.

Number.—150-170.

Cross-section.—Convex.

Longitudinal axis of majority.—Reflexing.

Length of corolla tube.—Medium. 0.7-1.0 cm.

Ray-floret margin.—Entire.

Ray-floret length.—1.8-2.2 cm.

Ray-floret width.—0.4-0.5 cm.

Ratio length/width.—Medium.

Shape of tip.—Rounded.

Disc florets: (only visible in mature stage).

Disc diameter.—0.3-0.5 cm.

Distribution of disc florets.—Numerous, sometimes visible at mature stage.

Shape.—Tubular.

Color.—Yellow-green 151 A.

Reproductive shape.—Domed raised.

Reproductive organs:

Stamen (present in disc florets only).—Thin. 3 mm in length.

Stamen color.—Yellow-green 144 A.

Pollen.—Sometimes present.

Pollen color.—Yellow 12 A.

Styles.—Thin.

Style color.—Yellow-green 144 A.

Style length.—3 mm.

Stigma color.—Yellow-green 144 A.

Stigma width.—1 mm.

Ovaries.—Enclosed in calyx.

Plant:

Shape.—When grown as a spray type pot mum, outdoor mounded and round.

Growth habit.—Vigorous.

Growth rate.—Fast.

Height.—28 cm.

Width.—30-34 cm.

Stem color.—Green 138 B.

Stem strength.—Strong.

Stem brittleness.—Absent.

Stem anthocyanin coloration.—Absent.

Length of lateral branch.—From top to bottom 13-14 cm.

Lateral branch color.—Green 138 B.

Lateral branch, attachment.—Flexible.

Branching (average number of lateral branches).—Prolific with 8-10 breaks after pinching.

Peduncle length.—3.5-4.5 cm.

Peduncle color.—Green 138 B.

Natural season blooming date.≧August 26-31.

Foliage:

Color.—Upper side yellow-green 147 A. Under side yellow-green 147 B.

Size.—Small.; length 4.5 cm, width 4.0 cm.

Quantity (number per lateral branch).—8-10.

Shape.—Ovate — round.

Texture upper side.—Glabrous.

Texture under side.—Pubescent.

Venation arrangement.—Palmate.

Shape of the margin.—Serrated.

Shape of base of sinus between lateral lobes.—Acute.

Margin of sinus between lateral lobes.—Diverging.

Shape of base.—Obtuse.

Apex.—Mucronate.

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘UNICORN’ ‘MARILYN’ Color of the upper surface of the ray- White 155 D White 155 A florets Natural flowering date August 26-31 September 10-19 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 